Donald George Mackay

Donald George Mackay (29 June 1870 – 17 September 1958) was an Australian outdoorsman, long-distance cyclist, and explorer who conducted several expeditions to the remotest areas of the Australian continent.

Early life

Donald George Mackay was born on 29 June 1870 at Yass, New South Wales, son of Alexander Mackay, owner of Wallendbeen station, and his wife Annie.^[1] Mackay was educated at Wallendbeen Public School and at Oaklands School, Mittagong. After a brief engineering apprenticeship he worked for his father until the latter's death in 1890.^[2] During 1890-99 Mackay travelled extensively abroad, and later prospected for gold in western New South Wales.^[3]

Cycling Expedition Around Australia

In July 1899 Mackay belatedly joined brothers Alex and Frank White to become the first men to circumnavigate the continent of Australia on a bicyle. Mackay’s 24-in. frame, 29 lb. DUX bicycle^[4] was especially strengthened to carry Mackay’s weight plus his gear, which included two water cans, a set of tools and bicycle parts, a camera, waterproof rain cloak, diary, food bag, and revolver.^[5]

Though Frank White had to abandon the attempt due to mechanical problems, Alex White and Donald Mackay successfully completed the circuit of the Australian continent and returned to Brisbane in March 1900. Though he came in third behind Alex White and Arthur Richardson, he set a record-breaking time of 240 days after an 11,500 mile (17,703 km) ride.^[6] On 27 June, Mackay was given a silver presentation trophy valued at 26 guineas (£27 6s)^[7] by the Dunlop Tyre Company "in recognition of his meritorious cycle ride around Australia."^[8]

Later Explorations

Mackay married Amy Isabel Little on 16 April 1902 at Homebush, Sydney. Their home at Port Hacking was on an estuary, facilitating the couple's love of fishing and sailing. Mackay led and financed an expedition to Papua in 1908 to investigate the headwaters of the Purari River. During the following decade he sailed a yacht in the South Pacific, visiting New Zealand and the Dutch East Indies.

In 1926 Mackay financed and accompanied the first of several expeditions to Australia's Northern Territory. During the first expedition, which utilized camel transport, Mackay accompanied anthropologist Dr Herbert Basedow to the Petermann Ranges. In 1928 they explored Arnhem Land.^[9]

Beginning in 1930, Mackay supervised several aerial survey expeditions to Central Australia. The 1930 expedition surveyed the Southwestern corner of the Northern Territory. Mackay utilized two ANEC III aircraft for the survey, piloted by Captain Frank Neale and Captain H. B. Hussey, with Commander Harry T. Bennett as the navigator and surveyor.^[10] The team made 15 survey flights over 24 days, mapping and correcting the dimensions of Lake Amadeus and finding a previously unknown lake (Lake Mackay), today the second largest lake in Australia. The expedition finished at Adelaide on 28 June 1930.

Donald Mackay would later lead successive mapping expeditions in 1933, 1935, and 1937, all using aircraft to complete the surveys. These surveys produced far more useful maps than had previously existed, which were donated to the Commonwealth government and to the Mitchell Library in Sydney.

Later career

Mackay was appointed an O.B.E. in 1934 and a C.B.E. in 1937. He received recognition from the Australian public as a pioneering Australian explorer, whose travels significantly increased man's knowledge of remote areas.

Mackay died on 17 September 1958 in Sutherland Shire Hospital near Sydney. A widower, he had no children.^[11]

References

1. ^ Carment, David, Mackay, Donald George (1870 - 1958)], Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 10, Melbourne University Press (1986), pp. 289-290
2. ^ Carment, pp. 289-290
3. ^ Carment, pp. 289-290
4. ^ The DUX Cycle Company of South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, began producing the chain-driven 'safety' bicycle with pneumatic tires around 1890.
5. ^ Simpson, Margaret, Cycling around Australia
6. ^ Carment, pp. 289-290
7. ^ Equivalent to £2,200.00 in 2008 currency values.
8. ^ D*Hub 2002/91/2 Presentation Trophy
9. ^ Clune, Frank P., Last of the Australian explorers: The story of Donald Mackay Sydney: Angus & Robertson Ltd., 1st ed. (1942), plate 7
10. ^ Corke, David, Aviation: The Adventures of Love Bird and Diamond Bird, 22 March 2010
11. ^ Carment, pp. 289-290

• Basedow, H., Knights of the Boomerang Sydney: The Endeavour Press, 1st ed. (1935)
• Carment, David, Mackay, Donald George (1870 - 1958), Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 10, Melbourne University Press (1986)
• Clune, Frank P., Last of the Australian explorers: The story of Donald Mackay, 1st ed. Sydney: Angus & Robertson Ltd. (1942)
• Corke, David, Aviation: The Adventures of Love Bird and Diamond Bird, 22 March 2010

Persondata
Name	Mackay, Donald George
Alternative names
Short description	Australian outdoorsman, long-distance cyclist, and explorer
Date of birth	29 June 1870
Place of birth	Yass, NSW
Date of death	17 September 1958
Place of death	Sydney, Australia